Gaza violence intensifies

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Warplanes pounded Gaza for a second day on Thursday as three Israelis and three Palestinians were killed in fierce fighting that began with Israel's targeted killing of a top Hamas chief.

Israel's harshest assault on the Palestinian territory in four years, which comes as the Jewish state heads toward general elections, prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council amid growing international concern.

Police said that since Israel's targeted killing of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jaabari on Wednesday afternoon, militants have fired around 180 rockets over the border, one of which hit a house on Thursday morning, killing three Israelis and injuring another four.

China on Thursday voiced its "grave concern" over Israel's large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, urging Israel to maintain "maximum restraint".

"We are highly concerned about the operation and strongly condemn any action that causes civilian casualties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in response to the massive airstrikes.

Hong urged all relevant parties, especially Israel, to maintain maximum restraint to avoid an escalation of the tense situation.

The Israeli air force has pounded Gaza with more than 100 airstrikes, killing 11 and injuring at least 115, medics and Hamas officials said.

"We have three killed," Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP, saying four other people were also injured in a "direct hit on a house" in Kiryat Malachi, a town which lies 30 kilometers northeast of the Gaza Strip.

The attack on Kiryat Malachi was claimed by Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in a statement on its website.

Schools within 40 kilometers of Gaza were closed, and those living within 7 km of the strip had been told not to go to work, he said. "It's a pretty serious situation."

Questions:

1. How many Israelis were killed?

2. What is the name of the Hamas chief killed?

3. How many rockets were fired into Israel?

Answers:

1. 3.

2. Ahmed Jaabari.

3. Around 180.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.